CO129-427 - Public Offices - 1915 — Page 226

2

Enclosure I in No. 1.

222

Wai-chiao Pu to Sir J. Jordan.

(Translation.) Sir,

Peking, March 8, 1915. WITH reference to the joint inspection by British and Chinese officials of opium cultivation in the various provinces, your Excellency is aware that last year a number of provinces were inspected in accordance with treaty, and the import of Indian opium into these provinces prohibited.

This Ministry recently telegraphed to the various provinces the import of opium into which has not been prohibited to make preparations for the joint inspection of opium cultivation during the present year, and furthermore instructed the more distant provinces to report at an early date with regard to the clearing of their respective districts of opium cultivation, in order to enable preparations to be made for sending officials to these places, and I am now in receipt of telegraphic requests from the two provinces of Kansu and Hsinchiang for joint inspection in accordance with treaty.

I have the honour to observe that in these two provinces the poppy is in flower during approximately the fifth and sixth lunar months (13th June to the 10th August), but owing to their remoteness it is very desirable that the question of how officials for joint investigation can be provided should be taken into consideration beforehand.

As soon as the other provinces apply by telegraph for joint investigation a further communication will be addressed to your Excellency, but in the meantime I have the honour to inform you of the above, and to ask for a reply.

I avail, &c.

(Seal of the Wai-chiao Pu.)

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Wai-chiao Pu.

Sir,

Peking. April 28, 1915. WITH reference to your Excellency's notes of the 8th and 26th ultimo regarding the joint inspection by British and Chinese officials of opium cultivation in the provinces of Kansu and Hsinchiang, I have the honour to inform you that I propose to appoint Mr. Teichman, of this legation, as the British official to carry out the investigation of the province of Kansu, and to ask that you will be good enough to inform me of the name of the official to be appointed by the Chinese Government for this purpose, in order that the two officials may meet and decide on the date for the commencement of the joint inspection.

With regard to the province of Hsinchiang, I am prepared to agree that it should be added to the list of provinces into which the import of Indian opium is prohibited under article 3 of the agreement of 1911, such prohibition to take effect from the 1st June next.

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[69956]

No. 1.

Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan,

[June 10.]

SECTION 1.

(No. 124.) Sir,

Foreign Office, June 10, 1915. I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 22nd March last, in regard to the scheme of the Chinese Acting Minister of Finance, for taking over the opium stocks, and the establishment of an official opium monopoly.

The India Office in a letter, copy of which is enclosed, inform me that they would welcome proposals by the Chinese Government for taking over the opium stocks provided that the terms offered to the merchants are fair and reasonable. As regards the subsequent establishment of a Government monopoly in opium, the matter would appear to be one for the decision of the Government of China.

I entirely concur in the view which you expressed to Mr. Chou, that while His Majesty's Government would not object to a legitimate scheme for disposal of the the stocks they would certainly not countenance anything which would permit of the sale of the drug in the listed provinces.

*India Office. May 31, 1915.

[2433 k-1)

I am, &c.

E. GREY.

I avail, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.